Surrey, B.C., mayor's court proceedings to begin over criminal public mischief charge
Court proceedings for an embattled B.C. mayor are scheduled begin Tuesday.
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum was charged with one criminal count of public mischief last month after a report he made to the RCMP that someone had run over his foot in a grocery store parking lot.
Tuesday afternoon will be the mayor’s first court appearance in Surrey.
The mayor will be given written information on the evidence in his case through disclosure and will likely find out what kind of sentence the prosecution is seeking.
According to the criminal code, a charge of public mischief involves falsely reporting crimes to the police, resulting in unnecessary investigations.
The mayor's original complaint was made in September, when members of the Surrey Police Vote campaign were outside a Save-on-Foods in South Surrey.
The group was gathering signatures on a petition to stop the city's transition from the RCMP to a municipal police force.
McCallum campaigned on the transition, and pushed it forward despite resistance from some fellow councillors and Surrey residents.
The mayor alleged one member of the rival campaign intentionally drove into him after a confrontation, prompting an RCMP investigation.
Special prosecutor Richard Fowler was appointed to the case to "avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice," the B.C. Prosecution Service said.
Fowler ultimately approved the charge against McCallum on Dec. 10.
McCallum has not said publicly how he plans to plead.
"We are in the middle of changing from RCMP to the Surrey Police Service and as this matter is before the courts, I will not be making any comment," the mayor wrote in an email.
There’s also concerns about who will foot the bill for McCallum’s legal fees after the City of Surrey confirmed it will be the one paying under the city's indemnification bylaw.
Adding to the controversy, McCallum hired high-profile defence lawyer Richard Peck, who represented Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in her highly publicized extradition case.
An online petition calling for the mayor to pay his own fees has received more than 15,000 signatures.
McCallum’s court appearance is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, though it’s unclear if he’ll appear in person or via phone.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.